Disclosure of new details about the attack on sensitive US sites in Iraq
Disclosure of new details about the attack on sensitive US sites in Iraq
2021-06-05
The New York Times confirmed that the United States is increasingly concerned about the escalation of attacks by small drones on its sites in Iraq.
The newspaper quoted US officials as saying that “armed groups opposed to Washington launched at least three attacks during the past two months with booby-trapped planes under the cover of the night on military bases used by the United States to carry out special operations.”
The newspaper, quoting three well-informed officials, stated that “the first attack targeted before midnight on the 13th of April 14 a hangar belonging to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) at Erbil airport.”
And the “Washington Post” newspaper previously reported that this attack, although there were no casualties, caused great concern to the White House and the Pentagon.
At the dawn of May 8, another drone targeted the Ain al-Assad base in Anbar province, which the United States uses to operate MQ-9 Reaper combat drones.
A spokesman for the international coalition, Wayne Maroto, confirmed that this attack did not result in casualties, but it damaged an aircraft hangar.
Three days later, a drone struck an airport in Harir district, north of Erbil, used by the US Joint Special Operations Command.
And the “New York Times” reported that this attack did not leave any casualties or damage, but it increased the concern of officials in the coalition.
Three US officials confirmed to the newspaper that parts of the wreckage of all those drones had been found, saying that initial analysis revealed that they were Iranian-made or based on technologies produced in Iran.
The officials explained that these drones exceed in size ordinary civilian drones, but they are less than the “Reaper”, noting that these new aircraft, according to military analysts, can transport between 10 and 60 pounds (4.5-27 kilograms) of explosives.
The newspaper pointed out that these drones fly at low altitudes, which prevents defense systems from detecting them.
burathanews.com
